


A Shady Summer

by MerryDreaming



Series: Under the Myriad, a Place is Earned (Fire Emblem Heroes) [10]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Beaches, Day At The Beach, Gen, IT'S GONNA BE AN EXPERIENCE(TM), fun fact i have never written at least half of these characters in my life, idiots at the beach
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-08 00:49:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15231729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerryDreaming/pseuds/MerryDreaming
Summary: After Commander Anna's many expenditures run the Order's gold stash into the ground, the crew gets sent out for a beachtime brawl.





	A Shady Summer

"This is a terrible idea..."  
  
Aileen grumbles a bit as she stands in front of her vanity, brushing out her hair while she prepares for the trip. It was a stupid idea, as far as she was concerned. They had to try and make their money back by participating in a beach tournament. It's not like Aileen was a complete stranger to the beach, but that was typically just a backdrop to all of the stealing she had to do. Going to it for leisure was...a bit of a different experience.  
  
A knock at the door gets Aileen out of her sour expression, flaring her hair out a bit and folding her wings in as she went to the door. "Yeah? Who is it?"  
  
"It's just me! Can you open the door really quick?"  
  
Oh, Sharena. Aileen perks a bit when she opens the door, seeing Sharena still in uniform. Though, her arms seem to be behind her...? "Something wrong?"  
  
"No, not at all! We were just wondering if you were ready to go?"  
  
"Well, ready as ever, probably." Aileen grumbles that a bit, adjusting the pretty modest swimsuit a bit and running a hand through her hair. It was tough enough to find something modest that accommodates her wings, but the Order was nothing if not adaptive. "Still don't think this is a good idea."  
  
"I know..." Sharena does seem regretful, if nothing else. "I'm sorry. Between Commander Anna's expenditures and that Tempest, it must be really stressful."  
  
"It is." Aileen states that bluntly.  
  
"Still...we need all of the help we can get!" Sharena tries to brighten her tone a bit. "Besides, that suit looks _super_ cute on you! You'll fit right in!"  
  
The compliment gets Aileen to turn away a bit, trying not to show her cheeks coloring a bit at it. "Yeah, whatever. Still not sure about fighting like this."  
  
"Oh, you're..." Sharena seems a little surprised when she speaks up. "...Brother _did_ tell you that you were getting a special weapon for this, didn't he...?"  
  
"...No?"  
  
"...He's so stressed that he'd forget his own head if it weren't attached..." Sharena sighs, but she digs through a large bag she has with her to pull out a very impressively sized umbrella. "Here! You haven't any experience with real weapons, right?"  
  
"No...but..." Aileen takes the umbrella easily enough, though she seems somewhat flabbergasted. "What gives? They let that axe guy use that big axe before, right!?"  
  
"...Aileen, I'm pretty sure Lord Hector is an exception, and...not the rule..." Sharena seems to chuckle a bit at the reminder. Oh, the good ol' times... "Please, Aileen...just this once, okay? This could be a good opportunity to learn how to fight without the inconsistencies of your transformation!"  
  
Well. If that was what Sharena wanted to pacify her with, then she managed to succeed. Aileen seems to ease a bit at that, and takes the umbrella a little more easily. "Alright, alright. Will give it a try, at least. Probably not gonna be too good at it..."  
  
"That's okay! Bishop Saias should be able to assist you some--"  
  
"--Wait, the Bishop's coming too?" That gets a pretty sharp tilt of the head from Aileen. "Need _someone_ for the tactics, yeah?"  
  
"Oh, Katarina wanted to assist this time around! Especially since Brother is going into the Tempest as well..." Sharena's expression almost goes mischevious at that, but it falls just short. "Our numbers are still really spread thin at the moment, with the Tempest and trying to raise money in town. Anyone left is guarding the castle itself." Sharena seems somewhat apologetic, at least. "I hope it won't be too much trouble, to be without any of the others...?"  
  
"...Guess that's okay." It definitely puts her at ease to know that she's not alone here, and she nods her head. "Anyone else, or...?"  
  
"You'll likely need to utilize Breidablik while you're there to get more allies...Commander's still out negotiating, and I need to get back with the others in the Tempest." Sharena purses her lip a bit. "I'll see if I can get _someone_ to help you out, though. But for now, you should get going! Have fun, Aileen!"  
  
"Alright. Take care, Princess." Aileen moves to get out of the room, while Sharena smiles a bit at the kindness in Aileen's words. It's certainly more than she's expect out of the woman, to say the least, but it was welcome; it was nice, even. It gave Sharena a little more confidence in the situation, despite how precarious the future was proving to be.

* * *

The beach being blisteringly hot was no surprise, really; Aileen had been prepared for that much the very second she was briefed on the mission. It'd be a rather nice day if this was truly all for the sake of leisure, but for something they're going to be competing in, it was gonna make the day a chore. Aileen was certain of that. It didn't help that she wasn't used to be so uncovered when it came to the sun. She preferred fighting in her raven form because it prevented her human form from getting too burnt, and the fact that she was going to be fighting with this umbrella instead of staying under it just made it worse.  
  
By the time she manages to pick Saias out of the crowd, she flaps her wings and flies on over to him, landing with a bit of a thump. He's populating a nice shaded area, at least, with some sort of book in hand. "Not too late, yeah?"  
  
"Oh, not at all." Saias looks down to her with a bit of a light expression. His outfit wasn't exactly too different from his usual attire, now that Aileen looks; the only thing that was different seems to be a sleeveless top of some kind, but he didn't look like he was going swimming. "The competition hasn't begun yet; you've made good time."  
  
"Good to hear that much, at least." Aileen stretches a bit, watching the umbrella touch some of the leaves of the tree they were under before pulling it down and opening it up. "Come on. Should get down to the forefront, yeah?"  
  
"...So we should." Saias seems to pause for a moment when she walks on ahead, only thinking to speak when she turns back, noticing him not following along. "Do you mind too terribly if I stay close by?"  
  
"Not really, no." It's a practically instant answer from Aileen, though she tilts her head when he makes his way over and under the umbrella. "Something wrong?"  
  
"I'm afraid my skin has the habit of burning very easily." Saias seems almost embarrassed to admit that, running a hand through his short hair with a bit of a smile. "I'd rather avoid being up half of the night with something dreadful..."  
  
"Yeah, can understand that. Same for me." Aileen rubs the back of her head a bit, starting to walk forward with him. "Why being in raven form is best, here. Against the rules of this, though..."  
  
"I suppose there's some solidarity in that." Saias chuckles a bit, though it's in an awkward way. They probably shouldn't have solidarity over such things, and yet, here they are, hiding from the sun before it fries them up.  
  
"Only a little, but--"  
  
"Sounds like the two of you don't go here that often."  
  
The two of them both seem to jump out of their skin when they hear a voice speak up from behind them, turning almost instantly to the culprit. His hair certainly stood out, to say nothing of the rather roguish outfit he wore even in this sort of weather. The two look between each other rather quickly, Aileen clutching the umbrella like she was about to ram it through the man in question.  
  
Thankfully, Saias had the slightest bit more restraint, placing a hand in front of her so she didn't. Impulse really was Aileen's worst suit. "...Neither of us make a habit of it. Sir, we would both appreciate it if you did not sneak up on us."  
  
Okay, that got a bit of an amused expression out of the rogue. "Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd say I made a pretty bad impression."  
  
"What was your first clue?" Aileen's tone was pretty business-like, and _extremely_ clipped. "Look, got a reason for being here?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes." The long haired man looks between the two of them again, sizing them up. "I don't suppose you're Aileen, are you? And you're...Saias. The bishop. Right?"  
  
...Oh. That causes Aileen's eyes to widen a bit, before averting her gaze and putting the umbrella back up, careful not to wind up hitting the rogue in the process. "...Yeah. Got that right. Here to help?"  
  
"You'd be correct. I had a nice little chat with one of your tacticians. She's a clever one, I'll give her that; told me you needed help on the front lines, and I couldn't find it in me to say no." The man doesn't seem to be too perturbed, really, his expression still rife with amusement. "Suppose I should introduce myself before we go further. Name's Legault; former Black Fang, current thief for hire."  
  
"...Okay, Thief." Aileen seems to do her best to commit that much to memory, at least, though she sees the raised brow it gets from Legault. He doesn't seem to comment either way. "Sorry. About pointing the umbrella."  
  
"Being so jumpy isn't a bad thing. Less likely to get caught unaware." Legault looks away from her and over to Saias, who seems pretty content back under the umbrella. "So, what's the plan here?"  
  
"The plan is to partake in a sparring competition; if we're able to best the other team, then we'll receive much needed prize money for the Order." Saias explains that with ease, looking to the thief. "Of course, I assume you have one of the 'weapons' that are permissible in this contest?"  
  
Legault seems to smirk a bit, producing some starfish shuriken. "Way ahead of you."  
  
Saias seems pleasantly surprised. "You're quite prepared, then."  
  
"Just pilfered them off some girl who was occupied. Finder's keepers, right?"  
  
And there goes Saias's good mood, his expression tightening. "If that girl happens to find out her weaponry for the competition was stolen, I'm quite sure that constitutes _cheating_."  
  
"Word of advice, priest; you don't get anywhere in life without playing a little dirty." If Legault was anywhere near perturbed, then he certainly wasn't showing it. He winds up looking over as he watches Aileen play with Breidablik, peering curiously. "What is--?"  
  
Saias looks over quickly, watching her load the orbs inside. "That? That's a weapon Aileen can use to summon heroes from another world. Aileen, I trust you're about ready...?"  
  
"Yeah. Gonna need a team of four for this, right?" Aileen clamps the mechanism shut on the device, watching Breidablik begin to glow. "Saias, take the umbrella and get back. Never tried summoning without the circle, so...could wind up with anything."  
  
"...That's not confidence inspiring..." That may have been the first time in this entire conversation that Legault was uncertain about something. He looks between the two of them, taking a fair step back while she prepares to fire.  
  
"Be _careful_ , then. Keep your focus." Saias manages to say that much easily, and when she fires off the shot, there's a sharp glow that comes from Breidablik, causing the three of them to cover their eyes. It takes a few moments for them to come to, really, and Aileen's words are pretty clipped as a result.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The summoned hero in question doesn't respond for a few moments. If anything, the slight chuckle that escapes him is something that makes them all bristle up, but his words are nothing if not full of mirth.  
  
"I suppose there is no harm in an introduction. I am Ephraim; Prince of Renais."


End file.
